Potassium hexacyanoferrate discovery

Potassium hexachloromolybdate, 3, 1230 Potassium hexacyanoferrate discovery, 1, 3 Potassium ions biology, 6, 559 selective binding biology, 6, 551... 

Since the discovery by Takagi [21], much effort has been spent on finding improved conditions for the reaction and it has been found that iV,A -dialkylamide solvents such as DMF, DMA, and NMP in combination with Zn(CN)2 as the cyanide source and a Pd catalyst provides the most general protocol for the reaction [15, 22, 23]. However, recent work by Beller and others have demOTistrated the utility of potassium hexacyanoferrate as a source of CN [24—27]. 

Another candidate for the first coordination compound is Prussian Blue, potassium iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(II), a complex of empirical formula KCN-Fe(CN)2- Fe(CN)3. It was first obtained accidentally in 1704 by Diesbach, a manufacturer of artist s colors from Berlin. Initially it was described9 as a nontoxic pigment suitable for oil colors, but its method of preparation was kept secret, probably because Diesbach wished to benefit monetarily from his discovery. 

---